Carriage-top joint



(No Model.)

J. T. GROVES. CARRIAGE TOP JOINT.

No. 444,120. 1 Patented Jem. 6, 1891.

JNLZ.' Groves.

Fries,

PATENT .IOI'IN T. GROVES, OF CINCINNATI, OI'IIO.

CARRIAGE-TOP JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,120, dated January 6, 1891.

Application filed September 6| 1890. Serial No. 370,474. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. GROVES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Oarriage-Top Joint, of which the following is a specitication.

This invention relates to the top joints of carriages; and the object of the same is to provide an improved joint of this character.

To this end the invention consists of the details of construction hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as illustrated in the drawings, in which- Figure l is aside view of a top joint of my improved construction. Fig. 2 isaplan view of the lower edge of said joint. Fig. 3 is a transverse longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 4 is a perspective detail of the end of the upper joint end, the halves of theinnermember of the stump-joint, the washer, and the rivet all being slightly separated.

Referring to the said drawings, the letter P designates the joint ends, which are solid and have eyes Y in their outer ends, by which they are connected to the top-prop and to the carriage-top in the usual manner. At their inner endsthey have shoulders S, beyond which their extremities for about one and one-fourth inch are shaped to tit the members of the stump-joint.

The stump-joint is constructed in the following manner: I I and O O are respectively inner and outer members made in halves. The two halves of each member are duplicates of each other, except that one is complementary to the other. Each half comprises a semi-polygonal, semi-rectangular, semi-oval, or semi-cylindrical body B, at one end of which is a round plate or disk D, having a central perforation. These plates on the outer member O are in the same plane as the outer sides of the body; but on the inner member I these plates are stamped so as to stand inside said plane, as shown in Fig. 4. The object of this construction is obviouslyin order that the disks D of the outer member may pass outside the disks D of the inner member. Each two halves are connected at their meetand the extremities of the joint ends P are inserted in the outer ends of the members of the stump-joint with the shoulders S against the same and brazed or otherwise secured in place, so that the whole shall present the appearance shown in Fig. 1.

When the four disks D are brought together, there will be a considerable space between the two inner disks, and these disks will be weakened where they connect with the bodies of the respective members I on the lines where they were stamped to press the disks inwardly. Vhen the rivet R is passed through the perforations of the disks to pivotally connect them, it will be obvious that in the operation of raising and lowering the carriagetop and of holding the same raised considerable strain will be brought upon said weakened lines of the inner disks, and this strain will sometimes cause these disks to be broken from their bodies. In order to avoid this mishap, I provide a washer W, which is of about the same size in diameter as the disks, and which is of a thickness very slightly less than the space between the two inner disks; and connected to this washer and integral therewith is an elongated shank E,which extends into the body of the inner member and is preferably secured therein by braziug or in any other suitable manner. Asthe disks of the inner member are bent inwardly, as above stated, this shank of the washer must be thickerthan the washer proper, in order that its sides will stand in contact with the inner faces of the halves I. The washer is preferably of drop forging, or stamped by a die to the exact shape and size desired.

A carriage-top joint constructed as above described will possess the advantages of simplicity in construction and cheapness in manufacture, combined with great strength and durability. The use of the solid joint ends instead of hollow ones reduces the cost considerably, and the use of the washer with its elongated shank prevents the liability of the disks D to break off from theinner members as readily as heretofore.

What is claimed as new is- 1. In a carriage-top joint, the combination, with the solid joint ends having shouldered and reduced inner extremities, of the hollow stump -joint secured upon said ends, each IOO member of the joint comprising two halves and means for Connecting them, substantially as described,

2. The herein-described joint for carriage tops, the seme emnprising two hollow inemhers, each of `which consists of two halves connected together and each half having an integral disk, the disks of one member being stamped inside the planes of those of the other member, a washer havinga head fitting between the inn er disksandan enlarged shank fitting Within the body 0f the inner joint member, and a pivotal rivet passing th rough all the disks and through the head of the washer, all as horeinbefore set forth.

ln testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own Ihave hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JNO. T. GROVICS. Witnesses:

J. H. SrGGEns, J. A. SAUL. 

